Novelty windmill



Feb. 10, 1931. H, E, R BlNET-r 1,792,396

NOVELTY WINDMILL Original Filed April 5. 1929 2 Sheet s-Sheeh l Feb. 10, 1931- H. E. ROBINET'T NOVELTY WINDMILL Original Filed April 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 10, 1931 UNITE STATES PATEN HARLEY E. nonmnrr, or rAnUoAn, KENTUCKY NOVELTY wmniurrir.

Application filed April 5, 1929,.Seria1 No. 352,853. Renewed neeem er 23,1930. 1

Primarily my present invention has referonce to an ornamental radiator cap attachment for automoblles, but the same ls susceptible for employment in-jany other con-- nectlon where the device is imparted mot on by the wind.

An object is to provide an automaton device in the form of a head, body, arms, hands and feet representing the caricature of a human'being in which the body is mounted for slow' rotationunder the force of the wind, the arms and hands rapidly rotated by such force and the feet given only a slow rotation. substantially similar to that of the body and whereby the device will present a laughable figure whenarranged on the radiator cap or when otherwise positionedj To the attainment of the foregoing and other. objects which will present themselves theimprovement also resides in certain other novel features of construction, combination and operative association of parts, one satisfactory embodiment of which is disclosed by the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improvement. 3

Figure 2 is a similar view with parts in section.

Figure 3 is a side elevation illustrating by dotted lines, the various positions of the parts constituting the improvement when influenced by wind.

Figure 4: is a sectional view approximately on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view approximately on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional View approximately on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

It will be apparent, as the description progresses, that the improvement may be successfully employed as an advertising device or as an ornament for the cap of an automobile. In the showing of the drawings the improvement has been illustrated in association with the filler cap for the radiator of an automobile.

The cap is indicated by the numeral 1 and is provided with an upstanding rod 2 which is round in cross section. This rod is reeach of'the stems and the inner wall of the ceived between 'concavities 3 in the spaced legs 1 of the a tomatondevice? The legs 4 areclosely related sothatthe cross sectionally rounded rod 2 finds a bearing in the longitudinallyarranged concaVit-ies 3 which, it will 5 be noted,' prevents the accidental movement of the figure Tfrom'the rod 2. The upper end ofthe rod rests on an antifi ictional roller 8 that is letin a round opening inthe figure 7 above the concaved portions 3of the legs. 7 The body 7, at. its shoulder portion, is formed with a transverse opening in which there is received a sleeve 9 and passing through this sleeve there is a bolt 10 that attaches to theopposite sides or shoulder portions of the figure 7 oppositely directed arms 11 and 12, respectively Toreduce friction theconfronting ends of the arms are slightly spaced away from the body and there is arranged around "the bolt and seated in depressions in thesaid arms 11 and 12 washers 13, respectively. The boltis engaged by a nut 14 which is seated in aconcavity' in one of the arm's. i

Thebody of the figure is centrally formed" on its upper end with a face portion 15. This portion is so shaped as to represent the caricature of a human being, preferablythat of a negro. Each of the arms 11 and 12 has its outer end formed with a tapered socket 16 that is designed to receive therein a tapered stem 18 on a blade 19 that represents the hand of the figure 7. A pivot pin 20 isarranged between socket 16 for holding the stem in the socket and yet permit the free turning of the hands onthearm.. The head of the bolt is squared and the nut 14 is, of course, of rectangular formation so that the arms will be locked to the bolt that provides the shaft therefor.

The legs, from their outer ends, are also provided with inwardly flared sockets 21, in

which there are received the flared and coneshaped shanks 22 that project from the rear and fiat portions of the shoes 23. The shoes are in the nature of elongated membersand are also preferably widened beyond ordinary proportions. A pivot pin 24 is arranged be- 100 tween the inner wall of each of the sockets 21 and the shanks 22.

The figure is positioned a suitable distance above the filler cap 1 as disclosed by the drawings. The fiat paddles, representing the hands 19 are successively brought into the wind, and the contact of the wind therewith will cause the paddles or hands to turn or revolve approximately four or five times before the figure makes a complete revolution. The hands or paddles, of course, impart a rotary motion to the arms. The comparatively wide and thick feet portions 21 will also be influenced by the wind so that the figure is not only grotesque in appearance but the auto matic movements thereof, when influenced by the wind, will create attention and mirth As previously stated, the manner in which the figure is mounted on the rod or shaft 2 prevents the accidental disassociation of the figure from the shaft, although obviously the shaft may be provided with a continuous groove 25 in which there is loosely arranged a pin 26 that passes through one of the legs of the figure which will positively prevent the removal of the figure from the rod or shaft unless such removal is desired.

Having described the invention, I claim:

In a device for the purpose set forth, an upstanding rod or shaft, a figure representing a caricature of a human being having its legs slightly spaced and provided with alining concavities and a socket communicating with the concavities for the reception of the rod or shaft, an anti-frictional bearing between the rod and the figure, means for holding the figure from longitudinal "movement on the rod, the legs of the figure from their outer ends having inwardly flared sockets, elements representing shoes having conical shanks received in the socket, a bearing pin between the socket and the shanks, a sleeve passing transversely through the shoulder portion of the figure, arms on the sides of the figure, a bolt passing through the arms and through the sleeve, said bolt having a squared end received in one of the arms and a bolt for the nut being received in a squared socket in the other arm, anti-frictional bearings between the arms and the sleeve, said arms having flared openings entering from their outer end, flat plates representing hands having conical shanks received in said openings and bearing pins between the shanks and the inner walls of the sockets in the arms.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARLEY E. ROBINETT. 

